PUBLICATION OF THE
JUSTIFICATION OF BRAND NAME SPECIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

PURPOSE: To notify procurement offices
of the requirement to publicize the written justification for acquiring brand
name, product, or feature of a product peculiar to one manufacturer with the
solicitation when the solicitation is posted on the Federal Business
Opportunities website www.fedbizopps.gov.

2. When the acquisition of a particular
brand name, product, or feature of a product peculiar to one manufacturer is
warranted, publish the written justification required by FAR 11.105 with the
solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website. If disclosure
of the justification would compromise national security or trade secrets, or
similar concerns make publicizing the justification inappropriate a copy of the
written justification shall be submitted to the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy.

A FAR change is in process to incorporate the OMB
requirements.

GUIDANCE: The intent of the OMB
Memorandum was to require publication of written brand name requirement
justifications for Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) acquisitions with a value over
$2,500, and non-FSS acquisitions (including commercial items) with a value over
$25,000.

However, due to ambiguities in OMBís memorandum and the
confusion over the method of posting brand name requirement justifications for
FSS acquisitions, OMB has advised that until the FAR is revised to reflect the
intent of the OMB memo, agencies are required only to publish brand name
justifications for solicitations required to be posted on Fedbizopps.
Accordingly, publication of brand name justifications for FSS purchases is not
required at this time. For justifications that would compromise national
security or trade secrets, or similar concerns, contracting officers shall
forward copies of the written justifications to the Headquarters Office of
Procurement, Program Operations Division.